Women seize power for the day!

The March 6 event was part of ‘Recipe for Good Decision Making’, a project set up to look at the under-representation of women in Northern Ireland politics in the run up to the council elections in May.

The project has been organised by Ballymoney Community Resource Centre, the Women’s Resource and Development Agency and the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, and involves four council areas that are due to make up the new Causeway Coast and Glens District – Moyle, Ballymoney, Coleraine and Limavady.

The Chairperson of Moyle District Council, Cara McShane described it as a unique event:

“The theme of International Women’s Day on March 8 is inspiring change. We want to position ourselves within the new Causeway Coast and Glens District to inspire change when the new super council takes effect in May next year.”

Lyn Moffett of Ballymoney Community Resource Centre said Moyle was chosen for today’s event because it is the most representative council in Northern Ireland, with seven female representatives out of 15.

“Moyle has almost exceptional representation and gender balance of any council in Northern Ireland so we are very pleased to be here.

“It is time that women’s voices are heard and we have equal representation on the kind of bodies that affect our daily lives.”

The group is now organising a creative and fun event on May 1 at the Royal Court Hotel near Portrush to highlight all of the issues raised by the ‘A Recipe for Good Decision Making’ project.

The aim of this event is to raise awareness of all of the issues ahead of the May 22 elections and to highlight to all prospective election candidates the need to engage with the views of women and to encourage the active participation of women in all aspects of local government and public life.